Reduction of subsurface damage in the production of bulk SiC crystals

摘要

The invention is an improvement in a method of producing a high quality bulk single crystal of silicon carbide in a seeded sublimation system. The improvement includes etching the front face on each of a first and second SiC seed to a depth of greater than about 20 μm while protecting the opposite or back face on each of the first and second SiC seeds. Protection of the front faces occurs by placing the faces sufficiently close to one another to shield the back faces from being etched during etching of the respective unprotected front faces. Separation of the first and second SiC seeds occurs after the etching of the front faces is complete.